it is established—extend to the names and attributes, or not? Is it permissible to regard some eternal attributes and eternal names as superior to others, even though they are eternal? Who has held this view, and in which of his books did he state it? What grounds support the preferred view, with whatever rational and transmitted evidence can be provided?

He replied—may Allah be pleased with him:

All praise belongs to Allah. The compilers of the authentic collections, such as al-Bukhārī and Muslim, recorded reports concerning the excellence of “Say, ‘He is Allah, the One.’” It is reported that al-Dāraqutnī said: “No surah has more authentic reports concerning its excellence than this one.”

They likewise recorded reports concerning the excellence of the Opening of the Book. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said of it:

“Nothing like it has been revealed in the Torah, the Gospel, or the Quran.”

He did not state that it was equivalent to a portion of the Quran, as he said of “Say, ‘He is Allah, the One’” that it was equivalent to one-third of the Quran.

In Sahīh al-Bukhārī, al-Dahhāk al-Mashriqī narrated from Abū Sa‘īd al-Khudrī, who said:

“The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to his Companions, ‘Is any one of you unable to recite one-third of the Quran in a night?’ They found this difficult and said, ‘Which of us could manage that, O Messenger of Allah?’ He said, ‘“Allah, the One, the Eternal Refuge” is one-third of the Quran.’”

In Sahīh Muslim, Ma‘dān ibn Abī Talhah narrated from Abū al-Dardā’:

“The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Is any one of you unable to recite one-third of the Quran in a night?’